Stock spoiler = downforce?

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Old Jun 24, 2003 | 11:19 PM
  #1  
BlueCLS6's Avatar
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Stock spoiler = downforce?

Sometimes on the freeway under braking the rear-end skates around slightly. I'm sure the spoiler would add a little more downforce, but enough to keep the rear planted under braking I doubt it. What do you think? Also I have noticed a lot of brake-dive... is it just because the car is heavier than I am used to, or are the brakes just better than I am used to and I am stopping faster than I think? Thanks for the comments...
p.s. I am used to the Accord which weighs 500 lbs. less and has crappy brakes
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Old Jun 24, 2003 | 11:39 PM
  #2  
mr. big's Avatar
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just for pure style....no real benefit other than that
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Old Jun 24, 2003 | 11:40 PM
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If you were going 120 it might add a bit of downforce, but nothing major.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 02:00 AM
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The car nosedives because its weighs 3500lbs and 70% of it is already on the nose. Stiffer springs will help.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 02:42 AM
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the spoiler on a fwd is all for show. since you already had springs and are still experiencing nose dives, try getting some koni shocks. and yes the brakes sux on this car.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 03:08 AM
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The spoiler may be considered to be mostly for looks, but the mere fact that it has a downward angle, the correct aero shape and sufficient surface area, it will provide some down-force above 60/70 MPH. Exactly how much, someone would have to calculate the surface area, aero curvature and angle to figure out the down-force at different speeds.

If you're road racing on tight circuits or auto-crossing you probably want way more down-force than the stock spoiler can provide. But if you want faster acceleration and higher straight line speed, you want as little down-force as possible without making the car squirrelly in the backend. At a 120 MPH, I'd rather have the stock spoiler than no spoiler at all.

As far as rear spoilers on FWD cars, anything in the rear that provides some down-force will help rear traction in cornering and braking to some degree.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 07:12 AM
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a front air dam would do more good than the rear spoiler in its current configuration.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 07:28 AM
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I think i saw that the spoiler decreases the drag coefficient by .001 (with spoiler .030 w/o .031) If thats true what does that mean?
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 08:32 AM
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From: Philly and Bowie
Originally posted by cls6sp03
The spoiler may be considered to be mostly for looks, but the mere fact that it has a downward angle, the correct aero shape and sufficient surface area, it will provide some down-force above 60/70 MPH. Exactly how much, someone would have to calculate the surface area, aero curvature and angle to figure out the down-force at different speeds.

If you're road racing on tight circuits or auto-crossing you probably want way more down-force than the stock spoiler can provide. But if you want faster acceleration and higher straight line speed, you want as little down-force as possible without making the car squirrelly in the backend. At a 120 MPH, I'd rather have the stock spoiler than no spoiler at all.

As far as rear spoilers on FWD cars, anything in the rear that provides some down-force will help rear traction in cornering and braking to some degree.

Very well put.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 11:46 AM
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Originally posted by beerknurd
I think i saw that the spoiler decreases the drag coefficient by .001 (with spoiler .030 w/o .031) If thats true what does that mean?
Not sure about that. Wings cause drag. Even on a plane, the wings create a huge amount of drag so small wings are favored for high speed planes. Of course they also create the lift needed to fly in the first place so you can't get rid of them altogether. On a FWD car the wing is just drag.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 12:10 PM
  #11  
TypeSAddict's Avatar
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Originally posted by mt6forlife
Not sure about that. Wings cause drag. Even on a plane, the wings create a huge amount of drag so small wings are favored for high speed planes. Of course they also create the lift needed to fly in the first place so you can't get rid of them altogether. On a FWD car the wing is just drag.
However, the wing on the G35 reduces the coeffecient of friction by a few points.
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Old Jun 25, 2003 | 11:24 PM
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Re: Stock spoiler = downforce?

Originally posted by BlueCLS6
Sometimes on the freeway under braking the rear-end skates around slightly. I'm sure the spoiler would add a little more downforce, but enough to keep the rear planted under braking I doubt it. What do you think? Also I have noticed a lot of brake-dive... is it just because the car is heavier than I am used to, or are the brakes just better than I am used to and I am stopping faster than I think? Thanks for the comments...
p.s. I am used to the Accord which weighs 500 lbs. less and has crappy brakes
Like it is said above, the spoiler does nothing.

The best solution is to change your braking habits. Proper braking involves starting light on the pedal, and then applying more pressure rapidly.

If you just crank on the brakes, you tend to force all the weight to the front of the car (and the rear becomes loose). If you start light on the brakes, you get the whole car to "hug down", and then by applying more pedal pressure, you can get the car to stop faster than you can by just cranking the brake pedal.
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